


Center Field

by magickalmolly



Category: High School Musical (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-01-06
Packaged: 2018-09-15 08:56:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9227840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magickalmolly/pseuds/magickalmolly
Summary: There's only a few days left until school starts, after all. Senior year; their final year before heading off for the rest of their lives. Chad's excited about it, really, but this right here, with the darkness around them and the stars above, and nothing to do but lie back and take it all in....Yeah. This is good. With Ryan, it's really good.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written August 07, 2008.

Chad heaves a sigh as he stretches back, feeling the familiar pull of tired muscles in his arms and chest. He played a hard game of baseball today -- the last game of the summer -- and he's tired. Tired, but happy, and Chad smiles to himself as he studies the darkened, star-dotted sky stretched out above him.

"You okay?" the body sprawled next to Chad asks, and Chad tips his head to see where Ryan is, lying just a couple of feet away.

"Yeah. Well, sore," Chad amends with a chuckle, and stretches again, back arching as his arms reach over his head. 

Letting his body settle once more, Chad can feel the grass on the small of his back, cool and prickly where the hem of his shirt has ridden up. But Chad doesn't bother with fixing it. He's too comfortable. Too content.

Ryan only hums his reply, still looking at the stars. Chad takes advantage of Ryan's distracted state to study the other boy's profile. Ryan's head rests on the neatly cut grass, hair pale and uncovered, though his straw fedora is close by. His cheeks and nose are pink from today's game, but Chad knows they'll be red come morning. Ryan has two skin tones: white and sunburned. The long afternoon out on the baseball field is to blame, as is Ryan's boyish stubbornness when it comes to wearing sunscreen. 

Laughing softly to himself at the thought, Chad rolls to his side, laying his head on his hand as he does. Just over the course of one summer, he and Ryan have gone from barely speaking to practically inseparable. Even now, while the rest of the Wildcats are back at the clubhouse enjoying the end of summer party, Chad and Ryan are hanging out in the middle of center field.

There's only a few days left until school starts, after all. Senior year; their final year before heading off for the rest of their lives. Chad's excited about it, and kind of nervous, though he'd not admit it. It's just that everything feels so... _big_. So unknown, so...different. Everything's going to be different. But this right here, with the warm summer air settled heavily around them and the stars above in the darkened sky, and with nothing to do but lie back and take it all in.... Yeah. This is good. 

With Ryan, it's really good.

The funniest part about all that is Chad never expected to become friends with Ryan. Never in a million years is what he would have said if he'd been asked at the beginning of the summer. But they did, and they are. Really close friends. Not that he and Troy aren't good again -- as close as brothers -- but. Some things you can't talk about with your brother. 

And it isn't even that Chad has anything specific he needs to talk about. Nothing specific he needs to talk about with Ryan. Well, okay. He could think of _one_ thing he _should_ talk about with Ryan (one very specific thing that involves Ryan quite a lot, as it has to do with the specific things Chad would like to do _to_ Ryan), but Chad hasn't found the nerve to bring it up. Yet. 

It's simply that Chad knows he _can_. Talk to Ryan about anything, that is, and that Ryan would be okay with it. Why he knows, Chad isn't sure. It's one of those instinctual sixth sense things. Ryan would probably explain it as something spiritual involving standing on your head, or whatever he does during yoga. Which is exactly why Chad hasn't asked him. Chad just thinks it's like knowing the sky will be blue when you wake up, or that he'll _always_ want to play basketball. There's no reason to question it, it just is. 

"Penny for your thoughts," Ryan asks, not shifting his gaze from the stretch of stars above them. Chad blinks in surprise, having been lost in his head. Lost in thoughts of Ryan and instinct and specific things, and Chad's face feels suddenly hot even in the cool night air.

"Ehm...not really thinking about anything," Chad shrugs nonchalantly, hoping Ryan is fooled by it. 

If Ryan isn't, he doesn't say anything, only rolls to his side, mirroring Chad's position. Ryan studies Chad, just like Chad just studied Ryan, but openly, blue eyes moving over Chad's features one at a time. 

Chad lets his gaze drop to the grass in front of him, and he picks a random blade, twirling it between his fingers. "Today was really awesome, huh?"

"But you guys lost." Ryan's smile is enigmatic, and when Chad sees it, he laughs.

"Yeah, well. Who cares?" Tossing the blade of grass away, Chad picks another. "It was just cool to have everybody there." 

And by everybody, Chad means _every_ body. Staff and members and Wildcats all came to the final game of the summer. It wasn't a baseball game as much as an all-inclusive free-for-all. 

Troy and Gabriella (inseparable since making up) batted together. Not well, but they tried, giggling and grinning at one another all the while. Martha pitched one inning, and managed to strike out three batters in a row. Sharpay refused to play (something about too much dust and her nail polish; Chad hadn't really paid attention), but she'd sat in the bleachers and cheered for Zeke, which distracted the poor boy to the point of making him walk into the dugout fence. Twice.

Even Mrs. Evans had taken her turn at bat. She'd surprised everyone by hitting a home run. Everyone, that is, except for Chad, who had spent a good deal of the summer caddying for her (and chasing after her balls when they flew wildly off the green). He wasn't surprised in the least. 

Chad and Ryan had played on opposite teams and spent most of the game taunting one another. They came head to head in the bottom of the seventh, but this time it was Chad who ended up in the dirt as they fought for home plate. Chad hadn't minded as much as he'd let on. He sort of liked to see Ryan smile at him like that.

Just like he was doing now.

Ryan looks at Chad with his smile for a minute longer, then rolls to his back again, smile widening as he tucks his hands behind his head.

"Yeah. Today was pretty awesome." Laughing softly, Ryan can't resist adding. "Especially since we won...and you didn't."

Chad gasps, pulling up a handful of grass to throw in Ryan's direction. "Dude! Uncool. I'd never rub your losses in your face." 

"Liar," Ryan laughs, then adds, "Oh, and what losses?" Ryan's grin is toothy as he sits up to carefully dust the grass blades from his polo shirt.

Snorting his laughter, Chad rolls his eyes. "What _ever_. I can think of at least one loss. That first game. Or did you forget falling over on your face as I slid into home? I mean, if I were you, I would've blocked it from my memory, too, but—"

Chad's words are cut off when he suddenly finds his arms filled with a laughing blond. Ryan goes straight for the belly, viciously tickling, and it takes Chad a long moment to think past Ryan's thighs straddling his hips before he can remember to defend himself. 

"Hey! Oh my god, Evans, QUIT IT!" Chad laughs out loud, trying to get his hands in a good position to make Ryan stop, but Ryan is quick and merciless. Still, Chad has the advantage of strength (plus years of roughhousing experience), and once he manages to firmly plant his palms on the center of Ryan's chest, he pushes with as much force as he can muster. Given his current state, it's not much, but it's enough. 

Ryan rolls gracefully away, still laughing as he lands on his back.

Both boys spend a long minute catching their breath and grinning at one another. Chad knows his face is hot, mostly because he hadn't wanted to push Ryan off at all. He tries to ignore how giddy his laughter sounds to his own ears. 

He tries to ignore the memory of taut warm muscle pressed against his hipbones.

"Tell me something," Chad says suddenly. 

He is as surprised by his own request as Ryan apparently is. "Uh...what?"

Shrugging, Chad repeats himself. "Tell me something. Or, like, ask me a question. Just...anything." 

Which Chad knows doesn't really explain, but he isn't sure how to elaborate.

Still lying on the grass, Chad can see from the corner of his eye that Ryan is thinking. 

It's a long moment later when Ryan answers, "I'm going to New York next year."

"You mean, like, on vacation?" 

"No, dork. I mean, like, for college." 

Chad can hear the smile in Ryan's voice, but it doesn't lessen the shock the statement brings him.

Rolling to his side, he studies Ryan for a long minute. "...Really?"

Ryan turns his head, nodding, and his smile softens. "Yeah. If I'm accepted, I mean. I can't be an Albuquerque chorus boy all my life." Laughing a little, Ryan adds, "Someday I'm going to be a New York chorus boy!"

Somewhere in Chad's mind, he already knew this. Knew that Ryan would go somewhere else after high school. He knows that a lot of his friends will leave after high school. But he's not ready to think about it yet. Right now isn't suppose to be for worrying about losing his friends. There's only a few days of vacation left, and Chad wants to make them last. Talking about stuff a year from now will only make them go faster.

Lying back against the grass, Chad frowns up at the darkened stretch of sky.

There is a long pause, and then Ryan sit up, his expression apologetic. "Hey, look, I'm so—"

"I don't know what I'm doing next year." 

Chad glances at Ryan. Ryan's sitting cross-legged and Chad watches his slim shoulders lift in a shrug.

"So?"

"But _you_ know." In his head, Chad winces at how defensive his voice sounds.

Ryan only shrugs again, and Chad absently wonders how he makes the simple movement look graceful.

"Yeah. But. Well, I don't know. I might get there and realize I hate it." A soft grin plays across Ryan's features, as if the very idea is absurd. "I might, like..." Ryan gestures absently with one hand, his grin widening. "I might decide to give up musical theater and dye my hair and start working as a barista at Starbucks."

Chad can't help but laugh. Looking up at his friend, Chad's expression turns grateful.

Ryan smiles down at him. "We're only seventeen. It's not like we have to know right _now_ what we're gonna do with the rest of our lives...right?"

Chad grins, surprised. "Dude, when did you get so deep?"

Ryan rolls his eyes at that and throws a blade of grass at Chad. 

The boys smile at one another, and Chad turns to his side, head resting on his upturned hand again.

"You're right. I mean, I know you're right, but it's still kind of a big deal. It's all anyone's gonna talk about when school starts." Chad sighs. "It'll be nothing but what colleges are you applying to? What's your SAT score? What're you gonna major in?" 

Chad makes a face. "I just..." Shrugging, he trails off, eyes looking down at the grass. "I dunno. Senior year's supposed to be this awesome thing, but it's like college and stuff is sucking all of the fun out of it before we've even started." 

"Don't let it." 

Chad blinks, trying to understand what Ryan means. The confusion must be clear on his face, because Ryan shakes his head with a grin. "You totally need to learn yoga."

This is said as if it's supposed to make sense, and Chad's brow furrows more. 

Laughing softly at his friend's confusion, Ryan continues, "You need to learn not to let stuff get to you. To...You need to be in the moment. Embrace the now." Ryan presses his palms together at his chest with a serene expression, then lets them drop as he gives Chad a lopsided grin. 

"You're worrying about stuff when you don't even know if you need to worry about it."

Chad knows Ryan is right. Again. He also knows that Ryan is weird. Of course, Chad sort of likes that about him, so it's not like he's complaining. But that's not really the point. The point is, Chad knows not letting stuff get to him is easier said than done.

Not knowing what to say, Chad only shrugs in reply to Ryan's advice and lets his gaze drop to the grass.

A few moments pass before Ryan speaks again. "Hey," Chad glances up in time to see Ryan roll over, stretching out on his belly. "Tell me something." 

Despite himself, Chad smiles, recognizing his own words being used against him.

Chad rolls over as well, mirroring Ryan's position. Using it as an excuse to stall. Because when a pretty boy...okay Ryan, who maybe Chad shouldn't even think of as pretty, because Ryan probably doesn't think about Chad like that...when Ryan asks Chad to tell him something, Chad's mind instantly fills with very inappropriate thoughts. 

"Um," Chad's smile turns guilty, and Ryan laughs. 

"Pervert." Unfazed, Ryan continues. "Okay; ask me something, then." 

But Chad doesn't find this any easier a request to fulfill. After another minute of thinking (with nothing but increasingly dirty questions filling his brain), Chad presses his forehead to the grass, overcome with laughter. 

"Dude...! You really are a pervert." Hearing Ryan use his own slang makes Chad laugh harder, and he has to wipe at his eyes a long moment later when he raises his head again. 

Ryan's right in front of him, grinning and chuckling as he rests on his elbows. Chad's own laughter fades when Ryan reaches up to neatly pluck a blade of grass from his curls.

"It's like a grass magnet," Ryan softly jokes, and reaches up again. 

Chad stops moving, but his smile lingers on his face as he watches Ryan gently and systematically remove several more bits of grass out of his hair. He feels unexpectedly restless, hot and itchy all over, but he doesn't want to disturb what Ryan's doing so he forces himself to hold still. 

When Ryan notices he's being watched, he drops his hand, then his gaze, grin surprisingly reticent as he does. 

"Um. Sorry. Didn't mean to turn into one of those chimps that randomly groom things." 

Chad giggles, shaking his head. "It's okay."

"Okay. I just thought, I mean..." Laughing softly, Ryan now shakes his head. "Didn't think anyone was allowed to touch the 'do."

Chad can't help but to snort. "Please tell me you did not just say that."

"What?" Ryan grins. "Isn't that what you call it?"

"No!" Chad laughs. "That's just..." Laughing more, Chad shakes his head again. "Totally lame." 

"Does that mean I can touch it?" Ryan raises his eyebrows in what Chad is sure a deliberate waggle.

"Dude!" Chad's positive Ryan must be able to see how flushed his face has gone, even in the darkness. "That's _not_ what I meant when I said ask me something." 

Ryan's just grinning at him, that innocent, unapologetic smile, and Chad has the sudden urge to tackle him. Or kiss him. Actually, the kissing sounds way better, and. Well. What the hell...right? Ryan said he should be in the moment, and what a better time to start than this moment right here. 

Inhaling a fortifying breath, Chad leans closer to Ryan, and the two boys are practically nose to nose before Ryan's smile slips a notch. He looks a little nervous (or at least a little confused), and Chad takes advantage of the opportunity.

"You ever been kissed before?"

Ryan's eyebrows quirk up, and he licks his lips before a slow grin spreads across his face. "Oh, is that the kind of question you wanted me to ask you?"

"Maybe," Chad smirks, eyes lingering on the wetness of Ryan's pretty mouth. "But it's my turn. I'm asking you, and you gotta answer."

Laughing softly, Ryan nods. "Mm-hmm. Definitely. I like kissing."

"Yeah?" Chad licks his lips this time, encouraged by Ryan's answer, and scoots even closer, pointedly ignoring the sudden pressure in the front of his shorts. "I like kissing, too."

"You do?" Ryan breathes more than speaks the question, and the ghost of his breath across Chad's mouth raises goosebumps on his skin. Everywhere.

Chad nods, and before either of them can continue with the banter, Ryan leans close enough to let his mouth brush against Chad's.

It's a light touch, but it sends a thrill through Chad, and a sudden realization to his brain. Ryan just kissed him. Which is, of course, what Chad wanted, but wanting and having are two different things, and Chad's a bit stunned it was that easy. If he'd known Ryan would want to kiss him, he would have tried...well, a long time before tonight, that's for sure. He mentally kicks himself for waiting.

Chad is staring at Ryan, and after a moment Ryan starts to pull back, his brow furrowed. Fortunately for Chad, this snaps him out of his stupor, and he leans forward anxiously. Pushing aside his nerves, Chad gives Ryan a kiss this time. A real kiss, one that is slow and hopefully persuasive. 

Ryan sighs against Chad's lips, all warm and damp. Chad takes this as a good sign, and so he rises up on his elbows. The position allows him to nudge Ryan's mouth open with his own. Ryan (wonderful, brilliant Ryan) mirrors Chad's movement, and it only takes another shift before Chad and Ryan are kissing -- really kissing -- tongues and teeth slowly and recklessly exploring anywhere they can.

Both boys are breathing heavily by the time the kiss ends, and Ryan's eyes look dark, wide and glassy. Chad's sure his must look the same. 

"You ever kiss a boy before, Danforth?" Chad can hear more than see Ryan's smirk, what with how close he still is to Ryan and all.

"Oh yeah," Chad quips back. And he's not sure what makes him say it, but Chad can't seem to help himself when it comes to trying to one-up Ryan. "Dozens." 

Ryan huffs a laugh. He's not buying Chad's lie for a minute. But Chad really doesn't care, and he doesn't even try to resist the smile that spreads slow and knowing across Ryan's face. With a hand gently fisting the front of Ryan's polo, Chad pulls Ryan closer. He leans his head at the same time, pressing their mouths together again. 

This kiss is slower than the first, hungrier. Chad groans when Ryan's tongue strokes deep into his mouth. Teasing and clever, taunting Chad's to chase after it.

By the time Chad pulls back (stupid lungs, needing air), they're both panting. 

"What about you?" Chad asks. He impatiently gives the swollen flesh of Ryan's lower lip a bite. Ryan makes a low, gorgeous sound, but when Ryan lunges forward to playfully bite back, Chad leans away, a taunting smirk on his face. 

"Ah ah ah...I asked you a question. You ever kiss a boy, Evans?"

Ryan's smirk mirrors Chad's, then slowly curls into an evil grin. "Not yet."

"Oh, re-- _hey_!" Chad gasps, flushing even as he laughs. 

Ryan laughs out loud with an unapologetic grin. Ryan's laughter sounds like how Chad knows his kisses feel, bright and intoxicating. Chad wants more of both. A lot more. 

Giving Ryan a predatory glare and a low, mischievous growl, Chad leaps for him, ready to return some of that earlier tickling. Or kissing. Or both. But Ryan is already on his feet, laughing more as he sprints away.

Chad only waits as long as it takes to climb to his own feet before he's giving chase. Ryan told him to embrace the now. He decides that embracing Ryan is a better idea. It's a good place to start, if nothing else. Chad figures the rest can wait a little longer. This is more important.

Running for all he's worth, Chad dashes across the open field, following Ryan's retreating form into the warm summer night. 

~fin~


End file.
